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Olivia nodded and faintly smiled at Alina, who rubbed her wrists and stared at the ground, both cheeks flushed with shame.
“I’m so, so sorry, Olivia.” Her voice was strained.
“It’s okay. I know you didn’t know that they wanted to hurt me,” Olivia tried to reassure her.
Alina shook her head. “I didn’t.” She sobbed again. “Please believe me.”
“Come,” the female officer said and grabbed Alina by her arm, this time less forcefully, “you two can talk tomorrow.”
Alina nodded and left with the group of officers, looking at Olivia one more time before entering the female officer’s police car—in the front.
One by one, the cars started to pull out of the castle, blue lights flashing and wheels crunching. Olivia, Christian, and his mother watched them drive off.
After they’d gone, Christian turned to Olivia. “Why did you help her? You could have easily let her suffer with her mother.”
Olivia smiled. “I don’t think she knew. A woman who dreams of becoming a doctor and saving lives makes for a bad killer. And besides, she’s the only family I have left. I’ve always dreamt of a hidden relative here in Romania, and despite a pretty crazy introduction, Alina is just that. Back home, well, whatever that is now, I don’t really have anyone.”
“You have the Rusu fortune,” he joked.
Christian put his hands in his pockets. “I guess you’ll return to the U.S. after the police get your statement. Mission accomplished, right?” his voice was heavy.
She smiled faintly, shaking her head. “I need a bit of time to recover . . . maybe some therapy . . . but I think I’ll stick it out in Romania a bit longer. Get to know Alina, maybe find some good use for this ol’ thing.” She threw a nod at the castle. “If there is a tour guide willing to drive me around in his terrible van, that is.”
He pulled her in and kissed her. “Don’t talk about my van like that. She has been my girl before this American woman showed up.”
Olivia stood on her toes and kissed him back, whispering, “Should I be jealous?”
They both laughed and turned to Christian’s mother when she cleared her throat, an adoring smile on her face.
Olivia grew serious again. “Will you tell me everything you know about my parents?”
“I’m afraid I don’t really know much more than I’ve already told you,” she said. “I know your mother and Andrei were in love since childhood. They got married at a very young age, against his family’s wishes, especially Elena’s. What could one mad sister do to a marriage, one might think, but Elena is not just a sister. She caused your mother and father pain whenever she could. They never talked about the details of their struggles with Elena openly, not even to me, despite Maria and I being friends since childhood.”
Olivia shook her head. “But why would my mother just leave with me? Lie to me?”
“I don’t know. It was out of the blue when she left, a shock to the whole town. Your mother came to me that night and told me she was pregnant and that she had plans to live in America. The next day she was gone.” She sighed and gazed into the distance as if watching that day play out all over again.
“Your mother made me promise never to say a word to anybody about it. I think your parents divorced shortly after. From there, Andrei became richer and richer with this food chain he built from the ground. That’s all I know.”
Olivia felt the cold tingle of disappointment in her stomach. She tried to hide it with a smile.
Christian and his mother exchanged glances.
“Tell me,” his mother asked, “does the kitchen in this old place work?”
Olivia nodded.
“Then come now, let’s calm our nerves with a cup of my famous Turkish coffee.”
“You’re going to love this,” Christian whispered and held her close. “It has tsuika in it.”
“Tsuika?”
“Liquor.”
“Uh-oh.” Despite having lived through the worst day of her life, and having her family history turned on its head, Olivia felt a warm glow of happiness radiate through her. Finally, after all these years, she had people around her who cared for her, and wanted her to be happy. It was a new feeling. No, not new. It was a lost feeling she had longed for since she had found herself all alone. She’d yearned for this more than all the money in the world.
Christian led the way up the stairs, followed by Olivia, who held his mother’s arm and helped her conquer the enormous stone steps up to the castle. As soon as he stepped through the gigantic wooden doorway, a black crow flew out, trailed by loud caws that echoed through the air. He gasped aloud, and Olivia threw back her head in laughter.
